Best Friends Despite Differences
by GoldGuardian2418
Summary: When Edna and Edgar learn that Vampirina and her parents are vampires, they panic and think they're dangerous. Can the Hauntleys and other monsters prove they're harmless or will Vee lose her best friends forever? Done as a request for eacox1787. :) Rated T for mention of blood.
1. The Secret Is Out

**eacox1787 asked for this one. Here you go, Amigo! Enjoy! :) **

**Vampirina belongs to Disney. I own nothing.**

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**Best Friends Despite Differences**

**Chapter 1: The Secret Is Out**

It was a beautiful day and Vampirina was spending it with her best friends, Poppy and Bridget. Edgar had joined them too at his mother's insistence, which he really wasn't thrilled about, but the girls included him in the games they were playing while Edna watched them. The Hauntleys were away on a meeting, as were Bridget's parents, so Edna had volunteered to watch Vampirina and Bridget and it had been Poppy's idea about going to the park to play. There was a new jungle gym that she was eager to try out. Bridget was eager to go play on the new jungle gym as well.

It had three slides, one long, one twisty, and one that looped around the jungle gym itself like a snake. Four sets of monkey bars set at different heights made up the sides of the jungle gym while the rest of it was a normal construction that included a house-like area, a pirate ship's wheel, a make-believe rock wall, a zip-line, and a trampoline. Edgar was pretending he was a pirate captain while Bridget jumped on the trampoline and Poppy and Vee tried the slides, giggling the whole time.

Edna had to smile as she watched the children, seeing them happy and enjoying themselves. She then noticed that Edgar was getting a bit close to the edge of the jungle gym where he was. "Edgar, be careful," she called out gently.

"I will, Mom," he called back as he pretended he was searching for treasure and pulled out his webcam. "And now, I, the fiercest pirate of all the-,"

That was as far as he got when he slipped and went down, his shirt sleeve catching on one of the make-believe rocks as he was near the rock wall part. While the rock itself was smoothed out to be safe, the metal disk holding it in place came loose and it cut slightly into the boy's arm. "Ow!" He cried out as his sleeve ripped and he fell the short distance to the sandy pit under and around the jungle gym.

"Edgar!" The three girls cried out in alarm and rushed to see if he was okay.

"I'll go get Mom," Poppy said as she ran to get her mother.

Bridget and Vampirina kneeled by Edgar, who was sitting up and wincing a little from the sting of the cut. "Maybe we should wrap something around his arm to stop the cut from getting infected," Bridget suggested.

"Good idea, Bridget," Vee said as she went to her backpack nearby and pulled out a bandana. "This should work."

But the moment she got closer and gently grabbed Edgar's arm, her keen sense of smell picked up the smell of blood.

Real human blood.

The effect was instant and she felt her fangs get a little bit sharper. "Um, Vee?" Bridget asked, wondering what was going on.

Vampirina looked like she was in a trance as she leaned closer to the cut on Edgar's arm. "Blood," she said, but her voice was sounding spaced out.

Edgar tried to pull his arm away, but Vee was really strong. "Vampirina, what are you doing?!" He panicked.

Bridget quickly intervened. "Vampirina! What's wrong?" She asked.

The young vampire stiffened and shook her head. "What?" She asked before gasping. "Oh, no."

Edgar looked a bit shaken. "You looked like you were wanting to drink my blood," he said, looking freaked out.

"I almost did," Vampirina admitted.

Bridget knew this was bad. Edgar didn't know that Vee was a vampire and she didn't want to say anything, but she didn't know what to say either.

Edna and Poppy came around the corner. "Oh, Edgar, what happened?" Edna asked, kneeling down in front of her son.

"I...I fell," he said. "And Vampirina was trying to help but then...she began acting weird, like she wanted to suck my blood."

Edna looked at her son. "Oh, Edgar, don't overexaggerate," she said with a light laugh.

Vee looked at both the mother and son. "Actually, he's not," she said softly. "I...I almost did drink his blood."

Now the adult woman looked concerned. "But, sweetie, why?" She asked, thinking perhaps the little one was confused.

Vampirina looked ashamed before sighing. "Because...I'm a vampire," she said.

Poppy and Bridget looked at each other worriedly. Only they had known about that and now Edgar and Edna knew.

At first, the adult lady thought Vampirina was just joking, but then she took a closer look and saw that the blue skin color was actually really and then, Vampirina turned into a bat in front of her and Edgar, proving that she was a vampire.

It was quiet for about three seconds before Edgar began freaking out. "A real vampire!" He cried out and looked at his sister. "Your best friend is a vampire?! Did you know?!"

Poppy sighed. "Yes, I did know," she admitted.

Edna let out a scream herself. "My daughter has been hanging around a vampire?!" She screamed.

Vampirina looked upset. "I'm sorry," she said. "But...that's what I am."

Edna was still freaking out. "My neighbors are vampires! Oh, I've got to warn everyone!" She said.

"No, wait!" Bridget exclaimed. "You can't do that!"

"Oh, you're right. They'll think I'm a lunatic," she said. "But...I can make sure that you, Poppy, and Edgar are safe."

The three girls wondered what that meant. "Mom?" Poppy asked softly.

"Poppy, Bridget, I'm taking you both home," she said as she picked up Edgar. "I'm sorry, Vampirina, but...I can't allow my children or Bridget to be around you anymore."

"Mom, you can't!" Poppy exclaimed. "Vee's my best friend!"

"Poppy, I mean it," Edna said firmly. "I'm calling the Hauntleys to come get Vampirina and then we're going home."

The call didn't take long and Oxana and Boris were there in moments. "What is going on?" Boris asked.

Edna backed away. "You vampires stay away from us!" She said firmly before turning heel and running to the car with Edgar in her arms. Poppy and Bridget were herded into the car too and as Edna drove away, the girls looked back to the Hauntleys, tears in their eyes.

Oxana looked saddened and noticed Vampirina seemed to be biting her lip. "Vee, what's wrong?" She asked gently.

The little one was nearly in tears. "Edgar got hurt and...I almost drank his blood," she admitted before bursting into tears.

Edna and Edgar both knew the truth now and Vampirina feared that she just lost her two best friends.

She had hoped this wouldn't happen, but now...there was nothing she or her parents could do.

* * *

**Oh, dear. Now Vee's secret is out. Will Edna tell other parents or will Edgar try to expose the Hauntley's secret? Read on! :) **

**GoldGuardian2418 **


	2. Panic

**Chapter 2: Panic **

Oxana and Boris looked at each other as they kneeled around their crying daughter, their expressions heartbroken. Despite their best attempts to not let their primal vampire instincts come out, there were times that it couldn't be helped and this was one of them.

But now...their daughter had just lost her friends. Boris picked up Vampirina. "Come," he said softly, taking his wife's hand. "Let's go home."

When they arrived at their house and entered, Vee burst into tears again, hugging her father, who hugged her to comfort her.

Chef Remy, Demi, and Gregoria came out. "What happened?" The gargoyle asked.

"What has our little Vee upset?" Chef Remy asked gently.

"Did a storm come up?" Demi asked. Normally, monsters didn't mind storms, but they knew humans didn't particularly like them.

"Worse, I'm afraid," Oxana said. "Edna and Edgar...know our secret."

"What?!" Gregoria asked.

"Oh, no," Demi said in worry.

"How?" Chef Remy asked in worry. They had all been working hard to keep the secret from Edna and Edgar, especially the boy.

Vampirina lifted her head up from her father's shoulder, tears running down her face. "Edgar fell and...he got hurt," she said softly. "I...I went to help him, but...the smell of blood was...really strong."

Everyone looked horrified. "Vee, you didn't...?" Demi started to ask.

"N-No," she answered shakily. "But...almost."

Chef Remy quickly went to the kitchen, looking in the fridge and finding a container of scream berries. "Ah, _bon_," he said in satisfaction and put some in a small bowl, bringing it to Vee. "Come, _chere. _You should eat these."

The young vampire sniffled and looked at the skeleton with a grateful, but sad, look as she ate the berries, her senses finally calming down, but she knew that it was too late. Feeling tears come to her eyes as she recalled Poppy's and Bridget's faces when Edna had driven away, she broke down again, crying harshly.

Oxana and Boris looked at each other. What could they do?

* * *

_Next door..._

Edna had just finished treating Edgar's wound and she was pacing in the living room, having sent her children and Bridget upstairs to play while she thought of what to do.

First off, she decided she wouldn't let her children out of her sight, but how could she warn the neighbors without seeming like she had gone crazy? Plus, what if the Hauntleys retaliated?

She also felt like she should have seen the signs, but hadn't, and had put her children in danger. That was even worse than any other feeling. Hugging herself, Edna had tears in her eyes, but she then remembered how heartbroken Vee had looked. Could it have been an act? But...she had never know the young girl to lie. Until now.

Going to the computer, she began researching vampires, looking specifically for what signs to watch out for if someone had been exposed to a vampire and was under their spell. Was her daughter under a spell? Poppy had been against her saying that she couldn't be friends with Vampirina anymore and had cried the whole way home, as had Bridget.

"Oh, what if they're both under a spell?" She asked herself as she frantically typed, reading everything that she found on the subject, her panicked mind making her forget that not everything on the internet was true.

Edgar, Poppy, and Bridget were upstairs, but no one felt like playing. "I can't believe this happened," the bespectacled girl said. "We tried so hard to keep Vee's secret."

"I can't believe you guys kept it a secret that you were friends with a vampire," Edgar said, looking a bit upset. "I could have had a great vlog, but now Mom won't let us out of the house, thanks to you two."

Poppy glared at her brother. "Is that all you care about?!" She snapped. "Your stupid vlog?! Bridget and I just lost our best friend and all you care about is your dumb web show?!"

"Vampires can't be friends with humans, Poppy!" He said. "They search for humans to be thralls to them!"

Bridget looked confused. "Thralls?" She asked.

"Slaves," the boy explained. "Humans are a food source for vampires, nothing more!"

"That's not true!" Poppy yelled. "Vee is my best friend and I'm not giving up on her!"

"If you sneak out, I'll tell Mom!" Edgar argued with her.

Bridget just backed away and sat down, hugging her knees to her chest. She really wished her parents were there. Or even Chef Remy. The kind skeleton could always help her feel better.

Her shoulders drooped as she realized now that not only had she and Poppy lost Vee as a friend, they lost Demi, Gregoria, and Chef Remy too as friends. That brought tears to her eyes and she tried to wipe them away, but they still came.

Evening slowly came and as Bridget's parents weren't back yet, Edna allowed the bespectacled girl to stay in the guest room. Poppy tried to talk to her mother again.

"Mom, Vee's my best friend," she said. "The Hauntleys are good people."

"Sweetie, they're vampires," Edna said. "You shouldn't be around them. They're dangerous."

"No, they're not," Poppy said in exasperation. "They never hurt me, nor did they threaten me. They're normal like us, except that they're vampires. But they've never made me feel like I was in danger if I was around them and they never tried to bite me."

Edna shook her head. "Poppy, it's been a long day," she said. "Try to get some sleep."

She tucked her daughter in and closed the door, but sighed as she heard Poppy cry. She next went to Edgar's room, finding him on his phone. "I hope you're not on your vlog," she said.

"No, Mom," he said honestly. "I was researching more about vampires. What if Vampirina is a grown-up in a kid's body? This site says that's usually what happens with kids becoming vampires."

"I saw that too," Edna said before sighing. "Alright, time for bed."

Obediently, Edgar put up his phone and looked at his mother. "Mom, what if...what if the Hauntleys come here?" He asked.

"They won't," she said reassuringly, though she was scared of the same thing.

"Garlic keeps them away," she heard her son say before he fell asleep.

Garlic. She had plenty of that. Going into her kitchen, she pulled the bulbs of garlic apart into cloves and placed some by the entryway and outside her children's rooms and Bridget's room. For good measure, she put some cloves of garlic at each of the windows. "There," she said softly.

But even then, she kept some lights on, having read that vampires liked the dark. She was about to go to her room, but then decided the couch would be best. She would instantly hear if someone was in the house or trying to enter it.

Going to the couch, she removed the cushions and pulled out the fold-away bed inside, making it up so that she could sleep on it that night. She put some more garlic on the table beside her for protection, just in case.

As she settled down and closed her eyes, she fell into a light sleep, worried and scared and feeling like she was in a horror movie.

Only, it was very real and it wouldn't go away so easily.

* * *

**Well, tensions are on the rise. What will happen? Read on! :) **

**GoldGuardian2418 **


	3. Truly A Bad Monster?

**A/N: Contains some spoilers from the episodes where King Pepi and Chef Remy make their debuts.**

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**Chapter 3: Truly A Bad Monster?**

Vampirina was in her room and tears fell down her face as she hugged one of her scream dolls tight. Boris and Oxana came in, looking worried. "Oh, sweetie bat," Oxana said softly in worry.

"What is wrong, our little spider?" Boris asked, though he had a feeling he knew.

The little vampire looked up at her parents. "I...I feel like a horrible creature for finding Edgar's blood appetizing," she said. "For a moment before Bridget was able to snap me out of it, I briefly thought that her blood and Poppy's blood were appetizing too."

"Oh, sweetie," Oxana said, sitting down and holding her daughter in a hug. "That's not your fault."

"Of course not," Boris said. "It was just something that couldn't be prevented."

Vampirina sniffled. "But...I don't want to even think about biting humans, especially my best friends," she said. "I want to be a good monster."

"And you are, Vee," her mother said reassuringly. "You're not a bad vampire."

"But...good monsters don't...think about hurting their best friends," Vee protested.

"Not willingly, no," her father said. "Because we strive to keep our primal instincts in check, but...it takes a lot of concentration."

"You're father's right," Oxana said. "Even we have to be careful at times. And you were wanting to help Edgar, sweetie."

"But...he saw me almost drink his blood and now he and his mom know that we're vampires and...now I've lost my best friends forever," the little vampire said before she began crying again. Boris and Oxana both held her and comforted her with both words and hugs, letting their little one cry for as long as she needed to.

Demi and Gregoria were in the hallway and they felt sad for the family they were so fond of. "Oh, what do we do, Gregoria?" Demi asked. "We have to fix this somehow."

"I'm not so sure it can be fixed, Demi," the gargoyle statue said sadly. "You know how humans get when being told that they've been living next to vampires this whole time and they didn't know."

"But don't humans judge by actions instead of words or appearance?" He asked.

"For other humans like them, sometimes," Gregoria said. "But monsters...not so much."

"But Poppy did and so did Bridget," Demi protested. "Even though they were afraid at first."

"True," the gargoyle said. "Poppy did see Vee in another light when Vee showed her that she was harmless."

"And then Poppy accepted us. And Bridget did too after she learned Vee's secret."

Gregoria sighed. "But the girls are children like Vee," she said. "From what I've seen, most kids adapt to new things pretty fast because they find it cool. Adults, at least most of them, aren't as willing to accept something different right away."

"True," the blue ghost said before looking towards Vee's room. "Do you think Poppy can convince her mother that the Hauntleys are a good family?"

"I don't know," the gargoyle said sadly. "I don't think it's going to be as easy as that."

Vampirina had stopped crying, but she was still upset. "I miss my friends," she said.

"We know, sweetie bat," Oxana said. "Don't worry, it'll work out."

"We'll still be neighborly to Edna and her family and perhaps she'll see that we're not dangerous after all," Boris said.

"That may be, as I've heard some humans say, easier said than done, darling," his wife said.

"Well, then we'll just try and not give up," he said reassuringly.

* * *

Chef Remy, who was in the hallway too, grew thoughtful. He didn't like seeing the family he was so fond of being hurt like this and being called dangerous like how Edna had called them. But he agreed with Oxana that it wouldn't be easy to convince the lady that they were truly gentle monsters. "What do we do?" He asked himself before he had an inkling of an idea.

He recalled back when he first came to the Hauntleys' home to be their in-resident chef and how Poppy and Bridget taught him about human foods and he taught them about monster foods and how some of it was really good if you just gave it a chance.

"Hmm, good food does seem to work," he said to himself, but then he wondered about how to get Edna to come over. He shook his head. "_Non, _I'll have to go next door," he decided.

He then happened to glance at a picture displayed in the hallway. It was a picture of the three girls with King Pepi when he had visited recently and he had taught them a bit more about Egypt.

Remy's eyes widened and he smiled. "That just might work," he said to himself.

Otherwise, he was going to go out of his skull with wondering what to do as he couldn't stand by and do nothing for the family and friends who had done so much for him. Getting out his cellphone, he dialed a number.

In the museum, King Pepi was outside of his sarcophagus for a change as he was looking at the new items the curator had managed to bring in. He nodded in approval and suddenly heard a ringing sound. Curious, he went over to his sarcophagus and smiled at seeing his cellphone, which had been a gift from the Hauntleys in case he ever wanted to come visit or just call, ringing and he picked it up, answering it. "Hello?" He said.

"King Pepi, it's Chef Remy," the skeleton on the other end said.

"Why, hello!" Pepi greeted, smiling. "What can I do for you, Remy?"

"Your Majesty, I fear the Hauntleys' secret has gotten out to the next-door neighbor and well...let's just say it could have gone better."

The mummy had a bad feeling about that. "The neighbor freaked out?" He asked.

"_Oui_, and what is worse is that she isn't allowing Poppy and Bridget to come over for fear that they will be harmed," the skeleton said.

"What?!" King Pepi exclaimed. "No way! Oxana and Boris would never hurt those sweet girls!"

"I know, but Miss Edna doesn't believe that, especially after Vampirina nearly drank that boy Edgar's blood."

The mummy was shocked. "What? Why?" He asked before it hit him. "Did...Did he get hurt and she smelled...blood?"

"Yes," Remy said softly.

Pepi fell into thought. "What do you have in mind?" He asked.

"I can't just stand by and watch my family be so downtrodden about this," the skeleton said. "I was thinking we could sneak over to Miss Edna's home and surprise her with some of my cooking and maybe help her see that not all monsters are dangerous?"

The mummy nodded. "Good plan," he said. "I've been working on a new healing potion. I bet I could help the boy. What is his name again?"

"Edgar. He's Poppy's twin bother."

"Edgar. Wait, he was one of the humans that was searching for me when I decided to leave the museum," Pepi said. "Alright. Let me grab the potion, but...how will we sneak over there?"

Remy smiled. "Oh, don't worry. As humans say, I've got the perfect trick up my sleeve."

* * *

**What does Remy have in mind and can they help Edna see the Hauntleys in a different light? Read on! :) **

**GoldGuardian2418 **


	4. Smoothing Things Over

**Chapter 4: Smoothing Things Over **

Poppy and Bridget were in Poppy's room, trying to play one of their favorite card games, but their hearts just weren't into it. They missed Vampirina and nothing they had said to Edna had convinced the worried mother that there was really nothing to worry about.

Edgar came in and he looked at his sister and her friend before his head hung and he went over to his sister. "Poppy? You okay?" He asked in concern.

She looked at him. "What do you think?" She asked a bit snappily.

He looked more contrite. "Poppy, I'm just worried about you, like Mom is," he said truthfully. "What if...What if those vampires were just waiting to strike or were using you to get to the rest of us?"

Poppy looked ready to burst and Bridget quickly jumped in. "No, Edgar," she said, her voice sure. "Vee and her family aren't like that at all. They're nice monsters and they've never once hurt us."

"But that's just it. They lure you in to gain your trust and then they strike," the boy said.

"Only monsters with poor manners do that," came an accented voice and the girls, recognizing the voice, whirled around to find Chef Remy coming out of Poppy's closet. Edgar gasped, but before he could sound the alarm, a hand gently clapped over his mouth and another arm came around him to hold him in place.

"Chef Remy!" The girls cried out, running up to him. He kneeled down and caught them in his arms as they glomped him, hugging him tightly as they were happy to see him.

"Ah, little ones, you didn't truly miss this old sack of bones, did you?" Remy asked teasingly.

"Of course we did, silly," Poppy said, grinning.

"How's Vee doing?" Bridget asked.

"She misses you both," Remy said, standing up now as the girls stood beside him.

"Which is why we're here," came another familiar voice and the girls looked to see it was King Pepi and he was holding Edgar so the boy wouldn't run off.

"King Pepi!" They exclaimed, running to him and hugging his legs. Chuckling, he smiled at them before looking at Edgar, who was shivering a little.

"So you hunt for monsters, but yet you're afraid of them?" He asked the boy.

Poppy noticed that her brother did look terrified. "Edgar, King Pepi and Chef Remy won't hurt you," she said. "They're nice monsters too, just like the Hauntleys."

"Now, let's see about your injury," the mummy said, going over to the bed and gently setting the boy down on it, taking his arm and unwrapping the bandages to see that the wound was still a bit raw. Nodding, he uncapped a bottle of blue liquid and carefully poured a few drops onto the boy's injury.

To everyone's amazement, they watched as the wound disappeared and it was like the boy was never hurt in the first place. Edgar looked up at King Pepi, who smiled in satisfaction that the potion had worked and he saw Bridget, who he knew scared easily, was giggling as Chef Remy playfully held her up over his head. Poppy smiled at that and looked at her brother. "Yeah, Bridget's not scared of Chef Remy or King Pepi because they're our friends," she said.

"And you girls were our first human friends," Pepi said, smiling again before looking at Edgar. "How does your arm feel?"

The boy noticed it didn't hurt. "It doesn't hurt anymore," he admitted. "But...why did you...heal my arm?"

The mummy smiled. "One: not all monsters are bad, and two: I owed you one."

Edgar blinked. "Owed me one?" He asked.

Poppy giggled. "He means when he decided he was going to leave the museum and you convinced Mom and the others to search for him," she said. "He thought no one cared if he was missing until he saw you all searching for him."

"You mean...he's...King Pepi?" The boy asked before looking absolutely stunned.

"_Oui, _he is," Remy said.

Normally, Edgar would want to get out his camera to film them and put on his vlog, but after the argument with Poppy and now witnessing the two monsters in a different light, he just couldn't bring himself to do that. Plus, he was afraid he would get hurt if he did. Mummies did have curses on their treasures after all and he knew better than to try and mess with that.

King Pepi saw the boy's face and chuckled. "Relax, I don't bite," he said.

"You wouldn't curse us, would you?" The boy blurted out before looking afraid.

"Of course not," the mummy said, smiling.

"Edgar, are you worried about you vlog again?" Poppy asked in exasperation.

"Well, you know I've been trying to catch monsters on film for a long time and now...I'm not really sure I want to do that anymore," Edgar said.

Chef Remy looked thoughtful before smiling. "I have an idea," he said. "Edgar, would you be willing to convince your mother to give the Hauntleys another chance?"

The boy looked thoughtful. "But, why?" He asked. "And why would you two be kind to us?"

"Because some monsters, like us and the Hauntleys, are peace and want to coexist with humans," King Pepi said gently.

Edgar looked at his sister. "Poppy, are you absolutely sure that you weren't Vampirina's thrall?" He asked.

Everyone looked confused. "What's a thrall?" Bridget asked.

"It means slave," the boy explained.

Poppy shook her head. "No, never," she said. "When I first found out that Vee was a vampire, she actually offered me an out from being her friend, which made me see that Vee wasn't a bad monster, just misunderstood."

Edgar looked at his sister before nodding, seeing she was being truthful. "Okay," he said. "But...how can we convince Mom?"

Chef Remy smiled. "Does your mother like French cooking?" He asked.

"She likes any kind of good cooking," Poppy answered.

"I bet she'd love anything you'd make, Remy," Bridget said.

"I agree with the girls," Pepi said. "You are a fabulous cook, Chef Remy."

Edgar nodded. "Okay, so we just got to sneak downstairs and keep Mom from the kitchen while Remy cooks up a meal, but...how are we going to keep her from discovering these guys too soon?" He asked.

Bridget perked up. "What if we helped?" She suggested. "We could say we learned a new recipe from a friend and wanted to try it just in case she gets curious."

"I think that's a good idea," King Pepi said in agreement. "I could stand as a lookout in case she gets close to the kitchen."

"And we'll let Remy work his magic when she's not looking," Poppy said.

The skeleton nodded. "Alright," he said. "Let's get to work."

* * *

**Will their plan work? Read on! :) **

**GoldGuardian2418 **


	5. Restored Friendships

**Chapter 5: Restored Friendships **

The three children snuck downstairs with Remy and Pepi, who were watching for Edna. Thankfully, the older woman was in the living room and didn't see them go for the kitchen. Moving quickly and assessing what Edna had for ingredients, the skeleton chef quickly got to work on making one of his famous French dishes while Pepi kept a lookout and the kids watched, helping Remy.

Thankfully, Edna hadn't come near the kitchen the whole time, so an hour later, Remy had his famous French Onion Soup ready with a tossed salad with French dressing, and French rolls. He then hid in the nearby pantry with King Pepi while the kids set the table for six people before going to the living room where Edna was.

Edna was indecisive on what to do. She felt like she had to warn other neighbors of a potential threat, but if she told them there were vampires in the neighborhood, they'd think she was crazy. "Oh, what do I do?" She asked herself, feeling lost.

"Hi, Mom," Poppy said.

"Oh, hello, kids," she said before a delicious aroma caught her attention. "What is that delicious smell?"

The kids smiled. "Lunch," Bridget said.

"A French lunch," Edgar added.

"Why don't we go eat before it gets cold?" Poppy suggested.

Edna followed the kids to the kitchen and was surprised to see the table set and the food that graced her table. "My, what's this?" She asked before looking more closely. "French Onion Soup?" She noticed the fresh salad and the rolls. "A French meal? Where did you kids learn to make this?"

"Well, we helped out a little, but it was mostly a good friend of ours who made it," Edgar said, winking at his sister and friend, who winked back. "Poppy and Bridget introduced me to him and said he's a very famous chef."

"Why don't you try the soup, Mom?" Poppy suggested.

Edna took a small bowl and poured in a little soup, took a small bit of salad, and a roll and tried them, her face lighting up as she ate. "Why, the soup tastes just like my grandmother's recipe," she said. "The salad. Why, how did this person get the salad so crispy? And these rolls. Heavenly."

Pepi and Remy smiled. "Sounds like she likes your cooking," the mummy said.

"Let's hope she likes us too," the skeleton said worriedly.

Edna looked at the kids. "Okay, I've got to meet this chef," she said. "So, where is he?"

The kids looked at each other and looked worried. "Mom, promise you won't freak out if we introduce you to him," Poppy said.

"Freak out?" Her mother asked. "Why would I freak out over meeting the chef of this wonderful meal?"

"Well, because he's different than most chefs," Bridget said. "But he's really nice."

"He even let us help," Edgar said.

Edna looked at the kids before coming to a conclusion. "Is he shy?" She asked.

Pepi just barely managed to silence his laughter while Remy gave him a half-hearted glare as a red tint came to his cheekbones. "Um, maybe just a little," Bridget said unsurely. "Because he really hopes you'll like his food."

Remy made a mental reminder to thank the bespectacled girl later on. "Yeah," he and Pepi heard Poppy say. "He also looked different from most French chefs and wants you to try the food and see if you like it before meeting him."

"But he's a really cool guy," Edgar added.

Pepi smiled. "Looks like the boy has accepted you, Remy," he said.

"It does look like it, Your Majesty," the skeleton said.

"Well, I've just got to meet him!" Edna said excitedly. "I have to know how he knows my grandmother's recipe!"

Poppy took a deep breath. "Okay," she said.

"You might want to sit down, Mom," Edgar suggested.

Bridget went over to the pantry and opened it slightly, seeing the two monsters inside. "Okay, she wants to meet you," she said.

The door opened the rest of the way slowly and Edna's face went to surprise and shock as a skeleton and a mummy walked out. As she looked at them, they waved sheepishly.

"_Bonjour, madame," _Remy said in greeting.

"Greetings, Miss Edna," Pepi said with a polite bow.

Edna was glad she was sitting down as she tried to process that there was a skeleton and a mummy standing in her kitchen. She at first thought they were costumes but she noticed how thin the skeleton was, convincing her that it was no costume. "Mom, it's okay," Poppy said. "They're our friends."

"Chef Remy helped me when I had some bullies bothering me at school," Bridget said. "He scared them off and they don't bother me anymore."

"And King Pepi healed my arm," Edgar said, showing his mother. "He had a really neat potion that just made it disappear."

Another moment of silence followed and Poppy took another deep breath. "The skeleton is Chef Remy Bones and the mummy is King Pepi," she said. "Chef Remy works with the Hauntleys in their Scare B&B as the resident chef and King Pepi is from the museum."

Edna took another moment to process that. "King Pepi?" She repeated.

"Yeah," Edgar said. "Remember when we were looking for him? Well, apparently, he is real."

The woman took a deep breath before looking at the food and at Chef Remy, who looked a bit nervous. She stood up. "You made this wonderful food, Chef Remy?" She asked.

"_Oui, madame," _he replied.

"How do you know my grandmother's recipe?" She asked gently.

"To be honest, the recipe is one I learned from culinary school," he admitted. "I've tested some herbs and ingredients before getting it just right and it seems to be a...how do you say it?"

"A hit?" Bridget offered helpfully.

"Ah, yes, _merci, chere," _the skeleton said to her gratefully.

Edna couldn't deny that the food was definitely good and she took a deep breath, deciding that it would be rude to let such good food go to waste and...the two really were nice, something she could see when the children hugged the two and the two hugged them back. Bridget was also telling Remy about a science test coming up. "We're learning about the human skeleton," she said.

"Yeah, but we're having a little trouble with some of the names of the bones," Poppy admitted.

"Well, I'd be happy to help you both," Remy offered. "If your mother is okay with that."

The older lady smiled. "I'll consider it," she decided. "For now, why don't we all enjoy this wonderful lunch?"

That was met with agreement and King Pepi pulled out Edna's chair for her in a chivalrous gesture and she smiled. "Thank you," she said with a curtsey and sat down.

The meal was absolutely delicious and Edna decided that if two monsters could be chivalrous and not only cook a wonderful meal, but help her children and Bridget, then perhaps they weren't so terrible.

She then remembered how she reacted at learning about the Hauntleys. "Oh, how am I going to apologize to Oxana and Boris?" She asked. "And...oh, I hate to ask, but what if they simply had Poppy fooled and chose her as their slave?"

"Oh, no. The Hauntleys aren't like that at all," King Pepi said.

"No, not at all," Chef Remy agreed.

"Mom, we were never in danger. Vee just smelled Edgar's blood and...well, she had a hard time controlling her...I guess they're called primal instincts," Poppy said.

Edna nodded. "Well, I'm going to go talk with Oxana and Boris," she said.

"Can we come?" Edgar asked hopefully. "I owe Vampirina an apology."

"Alright," she agreed.

* * *

Moments later, they were inside the Scare B&B and the Hauntleys looked a bit nervous. Edna decided that it was a good day for the kids to play outside. "Kids, why don't you all play outside?" She suggested. "We'll be in here if you need us."

"Okay," Bridget agreed and the other two echoed her. Vampirina looked a bit unsure, but she was happy to see her best friends again.

"We'll keep an eye on them too," King Pepi said with a smile as the four kids headed outside.

Edgar turned to Vampirina. "Vampirina, I owe you an apology," he said. "I know...you didn't mean to...at the park, I mean."

She nodded. "I'm sorry, Edgar," she said. "I didn't think human blood could affect me that way."

"And you did stop yourself in time with Bridget's help," the boy said. "So, can we be friends?"

Vee was surprised. "But, what about your show?" She asked.

He shook his head. "I don't think my viewers would even believe me if I said it was all real," he said. "Plus, Poppy pointed out to me that I was being selfish in thinking that my vlog was ruined when she had lost her best friend."

Vampirina saw he was being truthful. "Edgar, can I really trust you with my secret?" She asked.

He nodded. "I won't tell anyone," he promised. "Especially since I owe King Pepi one. He healed my arm."

"He did?" She asked.

"Yeah, and Chef Remy made a great lunch," Poppy said. "Mom was so impressed and she got to see that Remy and King Pepi are really nice monsters, just like you and your parents, Vee."

"I hope it goes well," Bridget said worriedly.

Inside the house, Edna had apologized to the Hauntleys for thinking they were evil, but she was curious. "If you don't bite humans, how do you deal with your need for blood?" She asked.

"Well, there is a special food called scream berries," Oxana explained. "They are red in color and have the same nutrients as human blood."

"They're also good for baby vampires," Boris said. "Once a month, we eat the scream berries and that helps us with our blood needs for a while."

"We had run out and I was getting more from the market when you called about Edgar being hurt and our little Vee...having the reaction she did," the vampire woman said.

Edna took a deep breath. "Would either of you or your family ever hurt my children or Bridget?" She asked.

"Never," Boris said firmly.

"We care about them as if they were our own," Oxana said.

Edna smiled. "Then, I'm sorry again. And I'll allow my children and Bridget to be friends with Vampirina. And...I hope we can still be friends," she said hopefully.

"Of course!" Oxana and Boris said in unison, much to the other woman's relief.

King Pepi and Chef Remy, who had been listening, smiled and headed out to find the kids, smiling when they found them. Vee saw them and her face lit up. "Everything's okay?" She asked.

"Yes," Remy said.

"Looks like your friendships are mended," Pepi said, smiling.

The kids cheered and Vampirina looked at her friends. "It's so good that we can be friends," she said.

"And not predator and prey," Edgar added in agreement.

"Very true," Poppy said.

"I'd rather be friends instead of prey too," Bridget said as the four hugged happily.

They were all best friends despite differences.

* * *

**And that concludes our story. :) A big thanks to eacox1787 for requesting this one. :) **

**Please leave a review, but no flames! **

**GoldGuardian2418 **


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